STURGIS, S.D. – Authorities in Meade County say a body discovered in a home today is believed to be that of a missing Wyoming girl.
Sergeant Calen Deyo with the Meade County Sheriff’s Office says they, along with agents from the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, served a search warrant at a residence located in Blucksberg on Monday.
The search was done based on information received from the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office who had been working with the Deadwood Police Department and the Moorcroft Police Department in Wyoming.
The body of a young female was discovered in the basement bedroom of the home and is believed to be that of Shayna Ritthaler. The 16-year-old was reported missing from Moorcroft on October 3.
Deyo says a juvenile suspect has been taken into custody in relation to the death and is being housed at the Juvenile Services Center in Rapid City. Criminal charges are pending.
An autopsy on the young female to determine the cause of death is pending for later in the week.
(Gary Matthews, KBHB, contributed this report.)
